Multiroll Surveyor Ribbon Dispenser

Abstract

A spool for carrying a plurality of rolls of surveyor ribbon, which spool has a flange at one end with a carrying handle with a projection that projects radially over the ribbon rolls and has apertures for guiding the free ends of the unwound ribbon. The spool has a removably flange at the other end for holding the rolls of ribbon on the spool and also has resilient detent means for resiliently and frictionally holding the plurality of rolls of ribbon so that ribbon unwinds only when the free end of the ribbon is pulled.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Surveyor ribbon is used by surveyor crews, construction layout men, grade checkers, flagging engineers and the like, for many purposes. These persons are often required to use ribbons having different colors. Accordingly these personnel must carry several rolls of colored plastic ribbon and must pull given lengths of ribbon off the rolls during use. Normally a short length of ribbon is unrolled from the roll and the broken off for use.

It has been found to be particularly troublesome to carry a plurality of large rolls of surveyor ribbon in one's pocket and to quickly and easily pull lengths of the ribbon off the rolls, and to break off portions of the unwound ribbon for use in a quick and efficient manner.

Thus it is advantageous to have a multiroll ribbon dispenser that is easily carried by such personnel and on which a plurality of different colored ribbons are threaded through apertures so that the ribbons are in a position to be selectively dispensed by the user in a simple and efficient manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment of this invention, a spool has sufficient length to carry a plurality of rolls of surveyor ribbon, which rolls rotate around a fixedly positioned spool between end flanges on resilient and frictional biasing spring detect means projecting radially outward from the spool. The space between the end flanges is sufficient to provide rotating space for each of the rolls of ribbon without having undue frictional contact therebetween. One of the end flanges has a radially extending portion that hooks over for fitting over the belt of a user and supporting the ribbon dispenser unit in a position for easy use. A shielding member is secured at one end to the radially extending portion and projects along the length of the spool in a radially spaced position from the rolls of ribbon. The free end of each of the rolls of ribbon are passed through the apertures, which hold the free ribbon ends in position for easy grasping by the user, who pulls the ribbon through the apertures in an unwinding action from the rolls. The ribbon is then broken off as desired in selective lengths for use. The projecting shield has an arcuate shape that extends, fenderlike, over the spool. A first plurality of aligned apertures for passing the free ends of the ribbon therethrough are positioned on one side of the shield member and a second plurality of apertures are positioned on the other side of the member. Each of the sets of apertures allows ribbon to be fed in either a front or rear direction of the horizontally positioned ribbon dispenser, thus allowing the ribbon dispenser to be used on either the right or left side of the user. The other end flange of the dispenser is selectively removable to allow free and easy replacement of the rolls of ribbon onto the spool.

Substantially all of the structure is made from a suitable plastic material that provides long life and simple and inexpensive construction. The device has a free and easy movement with relatively few moving parts and its rugged construction allows long and efficient operational use by construction-type personnel.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved multiroll ribbon dispenser for dispensing surveyor-type ribbon from rolls.

Other objects and many advantages of this invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and an examination of the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2, as it generally relates to FIG. 1 and which also illustrates the passing of the ribbon through an aperture in the shield member.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in operational use on a user.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of the invention has a cylindrical spool structure 16 with end flanges 18 and 20. End flange 20 has a radially projecting member 22 that is bent over at 26 to provide a downwardly projecting hook portion 24 for fitting over the belt 14 of a user 12. A member 30, having an arcuate shape, is fixed to the member 22 and extends longitudinally along the length of the spool 16 and is spaced radially from rolls of ribbon placed on the spool 16. Aligned apertures 32 receive and pass the unwound free ends of the ribbon therethrough as illustrated in FIG. 3.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the spool 16 is normally fixed in any suitable manner to the end flange 20. The other end flange 18 has a cylindrical projection 44 that fits into the hollow end of the cylindrical spool 16. It may be understood that the spool, end flanges, hookover portion 24, and member 30 may all be made of a suitable plastic. Plastic resin 38 is placed into the hollow portion of the spool 16 and a bolt 40 with a head 42 is embedded therein in alignment along the axis of the cylindrical spool 16. The cylindrical portion 44 is threaded to threadably engage the threaded end 46 of the bolt 40, thus drawing end flange 18 into pressure contact with the end of the spool 16.

Rolls of surveyor's ribbon, such as rolls 48 and 50 are slidably positioned onto the spool 16. A pair of spring detent members 56 and 58, that have a spring 60 positioned therein with an end contact 62 resiliently biased outward, contacts the inner surface 51 of the cylindrical members 52 and 54 on which the ribbon is rolled. Each of the spring detents function to provide a resiliently biased, frictional engagement with the inner surface of the ribbon spools, holding the ribbon spools in position and providing a sufficient friction resistance to rotational movement of the rolls of ribbon on the spool 16 to eliminate free spooling of the ribbon. The free ends of each of the rolls of ribbon are passed through either the pair of apertures 32 or the pair of apertures 34. The user may then grasp the free ends 60 of the ribbon pulling the ribbon from the unwinding spools and thus breaking off ends of the plastic ribbon to the desired lengths.

It may be understood that each of the rolls of plastic ribbon normally have different colors for different identifications in use. The multiroll ribbon dispenser may be either hooked over the belt 14 of the user on the left side, wherein the free ends of the ribbon are passed through apertures 32, or the ribbon dispenser may be positioned on the right side of the user 12, wherein the free ends 60 of the rolls of ribbon will be passed through the aligned apertures 34. This facilitates right-hand or left-hand use of the multiroll ribbon dispenser.

In operation, end flange 18 is threadably removed from the threaded end 46 of bolt 40 and rolls of ribbon 48 and 50 are slidably positioned onto the spool 16 with spacing therebetween as illustrated in FIG. 2, to prevent undue frictional contact between the rolls of ribbon. End flange 18 is then secured by coaction with bolt 40 to hold the rolls of ribbon in position on the spool 16. The free ends of the ribbon are passed through the apertures 32 or 34 and the unit is placed on the belt of the user 12. The ribbon is then dispensed in the manner previously described.

Claims

Having described my invention, I now claim:

1. A multiroll surveyor ribbon dispenser comprising,

a spool for carrying a plurality of rolls of ribbon having end flanges,

one of said end flanges having means projecting radially therefrom for carrying said spool,

a member fixed to said projecting means, which member extends longitudinally over the rolls of ribbon and is spaced radially therefrom,

said member having apertures aligned with each of said rolls of ribbon for passing the end of the ribbon therethrough,

frictional means on said spool pressing against the inner surface of each of the rolls of ribbon for frictionally retarding rotational movement of the rolls of ribbon on said spool,

and means for selectively removing the other of said end flanges to place rolls of ribbon on said spool.

2. A multiroll surveyor ribbon dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein,

said frictional means comprises a spring detent for each roll of ribbon, which detent has an end projection that contacts the inner surface of each roll of ribbon.

3. A multiroll surveyor ribbon dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein,

said end projection of said detent projects radially outward from the surface of said spool.

4. A multiroll surveyor ribbon dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein,

said member has an arcuate shape forming a shield over the top of the spool,

and said member has ribbon receiving apertures adjacent the front edge of said member and adjacent the rear edge of said member.

5. A multiroll surveyor ribbon dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein,

said spool is hollow with one end fixed to said one of said end flanges,

a threaded member is secured in said hollow volume of said spool and projects along the axis of said spool,

and said other of said end flanges engages said threaded member.

6. A multiroll surveyor ribbon dispenser as claimed in claim 5 wherein,

said hollow volume of said spool is circular and is open at the end opposite said one of said end flanges,

and said other of said end flanges has an axially projecting cylindrical portion that fits into said circular hollow volume.